Siberia: Black On White

This satellite photo of Troitsk, an 'average' Siberian city, clearly shows the extent of Russia's environmental problems. The city and surrounding countryside are blackened by a thick layer of soot produced by the surrounding steelworks and coal fired power stations. Troitsk is just one of many Russian cities, including Moscow, where air pollution is out of control. By the time they are 16, only one in four Russians are healthy. A recent report commissioned by Boris Yeltsin suggests that the majority of all childhood illnesses are caused by polluted air.